Last night at about 11 pm, Max, our 100-pound Mastiff/Boxer mix, tried to bite a porcupine. This is a very bad thing to do. But poor Max has never been around one before. He had quills in his mouth and gums and tongue. All around his muzzle. He was a hurting mess. We brought him in the house and made him lay on his side. Don lay on top of him to hold him down while I pulled out the quills using a pair of pliers. Max had no way of knowing that I was trying to help him - not hurt him.
I've had a quill in my leg one time - and they are very painful. And they really hurt when you pull them out.
He kept fighting us - and periodically I'd have to stop working on him and pull him onto my lap and calm him down so we could go back to work. He was panting from heat and pain and fear and eventually just collapsed from exhaustion at the end. Which made it easier for me to pull the hardest quills out of his mouth. He had no fight left in him.
I took him down to the creek and let him crawl in and cool off - then fed him some soft dog food. The livingroom floor was covered with blood and dog drool and so was I (since I'd been laying on the floor while working on him). We cleaned it up and then took showers. We were both covered in sweat and my clothes looked like I'd spent the day in a slaughter house.
We checked on him several times before finally going to bed at about 1 am – and he kept rubbing against both of us to let us know that there were no hard feelings.
Max is a rescue dog. He was badly abused and neglected and we rescued him from the dog pound. We’ve spent the last two years treating him gently and getting him to trust us. I really hated to have to hurt him last night. But, I hope he realizes that we were trying to help him.
Max is fine this morning. We expected him to be sore or nervous. But, he's his normal joyful self.
Note: Animal-rights wackos need not bother to write. I can't afford medical care for myself so a huge vet bill was not even an option. The only alternative to pulling the quills ourselves was a bullet to put him out of his misery. If asked, I'm quite sure Max would say that was not his preferred alternative.
Saturday, October 25, 2003
Saturday, October 19, 2002
Maxie's Summer Vacation
Max is a rescue dog. A friend and neighbor saw him at the Reedsport dog pound and decided we needed a dog. We don't know anything about him except he was about 2 years old when we got him - and he's probably mastiff and boxer. He's also HUGE and difficult to handle when walking down the road with him on a leash. We've been walking Max around the pasture instead of the road (we walk about 2 miles every evening). When we walk along the road we put Max in a harness that makes it easier to control him - he's strong as a horse.
When we walk around the pasture he gets to run free and really gets a good work-out. The grass in the lower part of the pasture is over my head - there are several paths that our renters have beaten through the grass by driving their ATV around the pasture (they did this so the horse would use all of the pasture - the tall grass intimidated her - she's from Eastern Oregon where the grass doesn't get that tall).
We walk down to the bottom of the pasture and through the trees over to the creek where there is a beaver slide down to the water. Max likes to run down the slide and get a drink of water - he needs it by this time since he's RUN about 10 miles. He runs at top speed - and has to leap in the air periodically to see over the grass to where we are. When we change directions or take a different path, I blow my whistle to let him know which way we are going. He covers at least 5 miles for every mile we walk!
The path is narrow - we walk single-file. Max feels the need to be the lead dog. So, when we change direction he has to run to catch up. And this puts him in line behind me. He will walk on my feet until I move aside to let him get by. Then He'll follow Don until we get to a wide spot and he can rush back out to the lead position. I don't know why he doesn't just leap over the grass at the side of the path and go around us - he does that when he wants to cut across the pasture.
Max found a gopher the other night. It was in the path for some unknown reason. Don almost stepped on it and stopped to see what it was. Then he called Max over and let him kill it. We REALLY don't like gophers. Max really does like them. They are fun toys. He carried it around with him the rest of our walk - except for the times he dropped it and tried to get it to run. Dead gophers don't run - did you know that? Max didn't either - he kept hoping.
Gophers aren't as fun as moles - moles have nice soft fur and are just the right size for a dog to carry around and play with. Don has several mole traps set around the yard and Max always has to help him when a mole is caught - running around with the dead mole in his mouth is his job. We have to wait until Max is involved with something else before getting rid of the mole - he has a habit of tracking them down when Don throws them away and bringing them back home. I guess he thinks he's part bloodhound.
Max discovered moles for the first time last year. He happened to be with Don when he checked the mole traps in our paths. When Don set the dead mole on the ground so he could re-set the trap, Max picked it up and carried it around for hours. We finally decided that it was time to get rid of the corpse. I distracted Max with "treats" at the front door while Don took the body down the path to the pasture, out the gate and along the creek down toward the swamp. When he figured he was far enough from the house (and Max) he threw it out into the pasture grass - not just a short toss, mind you. He really heaved the critter as far as he could throw it.
Then he returned to the house. As soon as Max realized that there were no more goodies to eat, he looked around for his new toy. Not finding it on the front step, he back-tracked Don until he arrived at the place where Don had stopped to toss the mole away. We watched him do this and one of us remarked that it would be funny if he found it.
He did.
He stood at the end of Don's trail for awhile, with nose in the air, sniffing. Then he headed into the tall grass and zig-zagged until he found the poor, wet corpse.
We decided he'd earned the right to carry the darn thing around for the rest of the day. When it was dinner time for Max we removed the mole from his dog house and took it down to the "dump" and gave it a decent burial.
Max and his mole, enjoying a nap after wearing himself out fetching a ball, and checking the air for interesting smells in the pasture.
When we walk around the pasture he gets to run free and really gets a good work-out. The grass in the lower part of the pasture is over my head - there are several paths that our renters have beaten through the grass by driving their ATV around the pasture (they did this so the horse would use all of the pasture - the tall grass intimidated her - she's from Eastern Oregon where the grass doesn't get that tall).
Max and Lucy sharing a snack of apples.
We walk down to the bottom of the pasture and through the trees over to the creek where there is a beaver slide down to the water. Max likes to run down the slide and get a drink of water - he needs it by this time since he's RUN about 10 miles. He runs at top speed - and has to leap in the air periodically to see over the grass to where we are. When we change directions or take a different path, I blow my whistle to let him know which way we are going. He covers at least 5 miles for every mile we walk!
The path is narrow - we walk single-file. Max feels the need to be the lead dog. So, when we change direction he has to run to catch up. And this puts him in line behind me. He will walk on my feet until I move aside to let him get by. Then He'll follow Don until we get to a wide spot and he can rush back out to the lead position. I don't know why he doesn't just leap over the grass at the side of the path and go around us - he does that when he wants to cut across the pasture.
Max found a gopher the other night. It was in the path for some unknown reason. Don almost stepped on it and stopped to see what it was. Then he called Max over and let him kill it. We REALLY don't like gophers. Max really does like them. They are fun toys. He carried it around with him the rest of our walk - except for the times he dropped it and tried to get it to run. Dead gophers don't run - did you know that? Max didn't either - he kept hoping.
Gophers aren't as fun as moles - moles have nice soft fur and are just the right size for a dog to carry around and play with. Don has several mole traps set around the yard and Max always has to help him when a mole is caught - running around with the dead mole in his mouth is his job. We have to wait until Max is involved with something else before getting rid of the mole - he has a habit of tracking them down when Don throws them away and bringing them back home. I guess he thinks he's part bloodhound.
Max discovered moles for the first time last year. He happened to be with Don when he checked the mole traps in our paths. When Don set the dead mole on the ground so he could re-set the trap, Max picked it up and carried it around for hours. We finally decided that it was time to get rid of the corpse. I distracted Max with "treats" at the front door while Don took the body down the path to the pasture, out the gate and along the creek down toward the swamp. When he figured he was far enough from the house (and Max) he threw it out into the pasture grass - not just a short toss, mind you. He really heaved the critter as far as he could throw it.
Then he returned to the house. As soon as Max realized that there were no more goodies to eat, he looked around for his new toy. Not finding it on the front step, he back-tracked Don until he arrived at the place where Don had stopped to toss the mole away. We watched him do this and one of us remarked that it would be funny if he found it.
He did.
He stood at the end of Don's trail for awhile, with nose in the air, sniffing. Then he headed into the tall grass and zig-zagged until he found the poor, wet corpse.
We decided he'd earned the right to carry the darn thing around for the rest of the day. When it was dinner time for Max we removed the mole from his dog house and took it down to the "dump" and gave it a decent burial.
Friday, December 01, 2000
The Trip Home From Hell
The Trip Home From Hell
David, Greg & I flew back home together from Randall and Laura Lee's wedding (Oct. 3, 1993)
Murphey never sleeps! Our itenery was:
1) Denver to Salt Lake City with 1 hour 40 minutes layover at SLC
2) Salt Lake City to Portland with 30 minutes layover at Portland
3) Portland to Eugene
The first flight went without a hitch - in fact we were early. so, we got to sit around and watch planes take off.
Then we boarded plane #2. Time to take off - nothing happened. Then people in coveralls went into the cockpit. Then the captain told us that they had a faulty light which had to be checked. Time passed. Then the captain told us that they had a short in a battery and had to power down the plane and change it. They did, then they had to reprogram the navigation. Forty minutes late, we took off.
Did you notice that we only had 30 minutes between planes 2 & 3 - so did we!!! Then the captain told us that he was going to fly as fast as he could to make up some of the lost time. He made up about 15 minutes. Because I tend to be a Nervous Nelly, I kept looking at my watch. Finally, I couldn't stand it anymore and signaled for a flight attendant. She asked me what she could do for me and I explained to her about our connecting flight. She took our flight information and then walked the down aisle to find out if anyone else had a connecting flight to Eugene. About eight of us did. The rest of the passengers were destined for Portland.
We landed at Portland and they asked everyone to please remain seated, so that they could get us off the plane (as soon as a plane lands, everyone jams the aisles looking for all their carry-ons in the overhead. So, no one can get off until everyone in front does). They got about 8 people off the plane and ran us across the airport (of course, our plane was on the other side of the airport - did you think it would be nearby!!!). No problem, in fact the plane remained there a few minutes after we boarded before taking off. Later we figured out that this was so they could load our luggage.
Well, 3 of our 4 suitcases made it. My orange suitcase wasn't on the conveyor. So, I headed across the airport to make a lost luggage claim along with another woman who was on our flight. Naturally, I forgot to remove the claim tickets from the three bags we did get - so that I would know which ticket belonged to the orange suitcase.
This was around 10:30 am and they told us that the next flight was at 8:40 PM. I told them "No way am I staying in Eugene until then."
The man at the desk made out a claim form and told me that "If it's determined that it was our (the airline's) fault, we'll get the suitcase to you - no charge."
(Like it was my fault they had to change a battery!!!)
So, I walked back to where Dave and Greg were waiting with the three suitcases - checked the tags to find out which one belonged to my suitcase (the one good thing - it was my ORANGE suitcase. That was all I had to write for identification on the claim form. How many orange suitcases are out there?) and walked back to the lost luggage desk to give the claim # to the man.
We loaded the car and headed home. On Beltline (the busiest road through Eugene) the car sputtered and died. "Something must be wrong with the car 'cause we still have 1/4 tank of gas." Great - so now we'll have to be towed to a garage?"
We got out of the car and the guys opened the hood - it's fuel injected so they couldn't even check to see if it was out of gas. Dave told Greg to try to start the car. He did. Sputter, sputter, choke and die. So, we decided to lock up and walk for help. Doors slam, and lock, and I said to Greg "Would you get my purse out of the trunk. My money is in it and we'll probably need some." He patted his pockets, looked in the car, and guess what?! He locked the keys in the car! Can anything else go wrong? We're on the busiest street in Eugene, a cop has to come by any minute, right? Ha! Ha! (Do I sound bitter?)
Dave decided to walk to a pay phone to call one of Kathy's sons for help (he lives in Springfield). He couldn't remember their number, but would look it up at the phone. No phone book. So, he walked to the next phone. Called and left a message. The guys were out but she'd have them come help us when they got back. Dave walked back to us (about 1 hour and 45 minutes have gone by). We stand around the car laughing and talking. Dave says that he thought about calling the police - they could open the doors for us and would give us a gallon of gas - but he couldn't find their number in the phone book. And he knew they wouldn't like it if he called 911 "could you bring us a slim jim and some gas." Sure buddy. So, we decided that I could always have a heart attack, then we could call 911 "my sister's having a heart attack. Could you please send an ambulance, a slim jim and some gas."
Did I mention that Greg didn't put on the parking brake and that the car was in neutral when it was locked up? Greg and Dave sat on the hood of the car. I started to lean back on the hood and the car rolled down the street. Greg jumped off and ran to the rear to stop it. Just what we need: "Oh, Mom, Jamie wrecked your car on Beltline. She pushed it into traffic when we ran out of gas."
Fortunately the road was straight and it stayed on the shoulder. We decided it was a good excuse to call 911: "My brother was run over when he tried to stop the car. Please send an ambulance, a slim jim, and a can of gas."
All this silliness helped pass the time until the guys arrived with a coat hanger. It only took 23 minutes to get the door open. But, they couldn't bring us any gas 'cause they didn't have a gas can (in Oregon you can only get gas if you have an official gas can - you can't use a Clorox bottle or something handy). So, Dave gave them some money and they went to find a store that sold gas cans. Some time later they came back, poured the gas into the car and it started right up. So, we really were out of gas - at least we wouldn't have to get the car fixed at a garage. Mom's gas gauge didn't work right - or had quit working.
All of this took about 3 hours and we saw not one cop the entire time. Until we got in the car and started home. Then we saw one.
Only two people stopped to ask if we needed help (of course, our hood wasn't up since you have to unlatch it from the inside, and we couldn't get inside since the doors were locked).
A girl (19 - 20 years old) driving a red car, stopped to ask if we needed help. She had driven past us, then saw Dave walking, felt guilty, so she got off Beltline, turned around, drove past us on the other side of the divider, found a place to get off and turn abound again so that she would be on our side of the road (it's a divided highway with on-ramps and off-ramps). Bless her heart. I told her the problem and she offered to try to catch Dave and drive him wherever he needed to go for help.
She caught up to him at the first pay phone, and he thanked her for her trouble and sent her on her way, since he'd just arrived at a pay phone. 'Course after she left he discovered that it didn't have a phonebook!!!
Then a guy in a red Broncho-type rig stopped and said that he had some gas. I told him that it wouldn't do us any good unless he could pick our lock. He had a slim jim at home, which didn't help us!! So, we thanked him and sent him on his way (if we'd had any brains we'd have accepted the gas!!!)
Then Dave's boys showed up in a red car. Must be a good color. Or good people drive red cars, or something. No one else stopped - and no cops!!!!
The rest of the trip home was boring and uneventful.
That night a woman called from the airline and asked if I needed my bag right away. I told her "No." So she said that she'd have it sent out the next day (Monday). I figured UPS.
Early Monday morning at some horrible hour of the day, the phone rang. It was a man calling from the airline and wanting directions to our house. I said "you're going to have someone drive from Eugene to Reedsport?"
"Yes" So, I tried to give him directions. I realized that it was hopeless when he asked "Where is Reedsport?" I ended up having them UPS it.
I figured they'd slap a label on my suitcase, and when our UPS guy came walking down the steps with a suitcase in his hand, I planned to say "Is this just a visit, or are you moving it?"
Wouldn't you know, they put it in a box. Spoiled my joke!!!
David, Greg & I flew back home together from Randall and Laura Lee's wedding (Oct. 3, 1993)
Murphey never sleeps! Our itenery was:
1) Denver to Salt Lake City with 1 hour 40 minutes layover at SLC
2) Salt Lake City to Portland with 30 minutes layover at Portland
3) Portland to Eugene
The first flight went without a hitch - in fact we were early. so, we got to sit around and watch planes take off.
Then we boarded plane #2. Time to take off - nothing happened. Then people in coveralls went into the cockpit. Then the captain told us that they had a faulty light which had to be checked. Time passed. Then the captain told us that they had a short in a battery and had to power down the plane and change it. They did, then they had to reprogram the navigation. Forty minutes late, we took off.
Did you notice that we only had 30 minutes between planes 2 & 3 - so did we!!! Then the captain told us that he was going to fly as fast as he could to make up some of the lost time. He made up about 15 minutes. Because I tend to be a Nervous Nelly, I kept looking at my watch. Finally, I couldn't stand it anymore and signaled for a flight attendant. She asked me what she could do for me and I explained to her about our connecting flight. She took our flight information and then walked the down aisle to find out if anyone else had a connecting flight to Eugene. About eight of us did. The rest of the passengers were destined for Portland.
We landed at Portland and they asked everyone to please remain seated, so that they could get us off the plane (as soon as a plane lands, everyone jams the aisles looking for all their carry-ons in the overhead. So, no one can get off until everyone in front does). They got about 8 people off the plane and ran us across the airport (of course, our plane was on the other side of the airport - did you think it would be nearby!!!). No problem, in fact the plane remained there a few minutes after we boarded before taking off. Later we figured out that this was so they could load our luggage.
Well, 3 of our 4 suitcases made it. My orange suitcase wasn't on the conveyor. So, I headed across the airport to make a lost luggage claim along with another woman who was on our flight. Naturally, I forgot to remove the claim tickets from the three bags we did get - so that I would know which ticket belonged to the orange suitcase.
This was around 10:30 am and they told us that the next flight was at 8:40 PM. I told them "No way am I staying in Eugene until then."
The man at the desk made out a claim form and told me that "If it's determined that it was our (the airline's) fault, we'll get the suitcase to you - no charge."
(Like it was my fault they had to change a battery!!!)
So, I walked back to where Dave and Greg were waiting with the three suitcases - checked the tags to find out which one belonged to my suitcase (the one good thing - it was my ORANGE suitcase. That was all I had to write for identification on the claim form. How many orange suitcases are out there?) and walked back to the lost luggage desk to give the claim # to the man.
We loaded the car and headed home. On Beltline (the busiest road through Eugene) the car sputtered and died. "Something must be wrong with the car 'cause we still have 1/4 tank of gas." Great - so now we'll have to be towed to a garage?"
We got out of the car and the guys opened the hood - it's fuel injected so they couldn't even check to see if it was out of gas. Dave told Greg to try to start the car. He did. Sputter, sputter, choke and die. So, we decided to lock up and walk for help. Doors slam, and lock, and I said to Greg "Would you get my purse out of the trunk. My money is in it and we'll probably need some." He patted his pockets, looked in the car, and guess what?! He locked the keys in the car! Can anything else go wrong? We're on the busiest street in Eugene, a cop has to come by any minute, right? Ha! Ha! (Do I sound bitter?)
Dave decided to walk to a pay phone to call one of Kathy's sons for help (he lives in Springfield). He couldn't remember their number, but would look it up at the phone. No phone book. So, he walked to the next phone. Called and left a message. The guys were out but she'd have them come help us when they got back. Dave walked back to us (about 1 hour and 45 minutes have gone by). We stand around the car laughing and talking. Dave says that he thought about calling the police - they could open the doors for us and would give us a gallon of gas - but he couldn't find their number in the phone book. And he knew they wouldn't like it if he called 911 "could you bring us a slim jim and some gas." Sure buddy. So, we decided that I could always have a heart attack, then we could call 911 "my sister's having a heart attack. Could you please send an ambulance, a slim jim and some gas."
Did I mention that Greg didn't put on the parking brake and that the car was in neutral when it was locked up? Greg and Dave sat on the hood of the car. I started to lean back on the hood and the car rolled down the street. Greg jumped off and ran to the rear to stop it. Just what we need: "Oh, Mom, Jamie wrecked your car on Beltline. She pushed it into traffic when we ran out of gas."
Fortunately the road was straight and it stayed on the shoulder. We decided it was a good excuse to call 911: "My brother was run over when he tried to stop the car. Please send an ambulance, a slim jim, and a can of gas."
All this silliness helped pass the time until the guys arrived with a coat hanger. It only took 23 minutes to get the door open. But, they couldn't bring us any gas 'cause they didn't have a gas can (in Oregon you can only get gas if you have an official gas can - you can't use a Clorox bottle or something handy). So, Dave gave them some money and they went to find a store that sold gas cans. Some time later they came back, poured the gas into the car and it started right up. So, we really were out of gas - at least we wouldn't have to get the car fixed at a garage. Mom's gas gauge didn't work right - or had quit working.
All of this took about 3 hours and we saw not one cop the entire time. Until we got in the car and started home. Then we saw one.
Only two people stopped to ask if we needed help (of course, our hood wasn't up since you have to unlatch it from the inside, and we couldn't get inside since the doors were locked).
A girl (19 - 20 years old) driving a red car, stopped to ask if we needed help. She had driven past us, then saw Dave walking, felt guilty, so she got off Beltline, turned around, drove past us on the other side of the divider, found a place to get off and turn abound again so that she would be on our side of the road (it's a divided highway with on-ramps and off-ramps). Bless her heart. I told her the problem and she offered to try to catch Dave and drive him wherever he needed to go for help.
She caught up to him at the first pay phone, and he thanked her for her trouble and sent her on her way, since he'd just arrived at a pay phone. 'Course after she left he discovered that it didn't have a phonebook!!!
Then a guy in a red Broncho-type rig stopped and said that he had some gas. I told him that it wouldn't do us any good unless he could pick our lock. He had a slim jim at home, which didn't help us!! So, we thanked him and sent him on his way (if we'd had any brains we'd have accepted the gas!!!)
Then Dave's boys showed up in a red car. Must be a good color. Or good people drive red cars, or something. No one else stopped - and no cops!!!!
The rest of the trip home was boring and uneventful.
That night a woman called from the airline and asked if I needed my bag right away. I told her "No." So she said that she'd have it sent out the next day (Monday). I figured UPS.
Early Monday morning at some horrible hour of the day, the phone rang. It was a man calling from the airline and wanting directions to our house. I said "you're going to have someone drive from Eugene to Reedsport?"
"Yes" So, I tried to give him directions. I realized that it was hopeless when he asked "Where is Reedsport?" I ended up having them UPS it.
I figured they'd slap a label on my suitcase, and when our UPS guy came walking down the steps with a suitcase in his hand, I planned to say "Is this just a visit, or are you moving it?"
Wouldn't you know, they put it in a box. Spoiled my joke!!!
Sunday, November 19, 2000
Fire Story
Jamie's Fire Story - January 9, 1991
This is a copy of a letter I wrote to Elaine just after the fire:
Dear Elaine,
How are you? We're both fine - I suppose Mom has told you about our excitement - when the house almost burned!!! It was touch and go for awhile.
Wednesday morning (January 9, 1991) at 8 am, Don got up, lit the fire in the living-room stove, turned on KXL (all news radio), and came back to bed to wait for the house to warm up a little. (Later) the announcer said that it was 8:34 and I turned to Don and said that something smelled BAD.
So, he went out to check the stove, and the next thing I knew he was tearing the metal plates off the wall behind the stove and throwing things around. He ran into the kitchen and filled a pot with water and told me to fill pans, which I did. He poured the water into the wall behind the wood-stove, extinguishing the fire.
He ran into the bedroom and put on his clothes and shoes. I was still in the living room and looked up through the skylight and the entire roof (in that area) was on fire and the skylight was burning. So, I started screaming, "The skylight's on fire get the hose!"
Don ran outside, got the hose, and turned it on, got the ladder and climbed onto the roof, and sprayed water all over the place. He was a hero. He burned and cut his hand tearing up hot metal either on the roof or earlier in the living room, or both. He was blistered later. He was up on the roof in all that poisonous smoke and heat not knowing if he'd be able to get off the roof if the fire wasn't put out.
Of course, I was doing important things too: Jumping up and down, wringing my hands, and yelling, "The skylight's on fire. The skylight's on fire!" (Just in case he hadn't noticed, ya know!) And other brilliant observations. I did un-kink the hose and move it for him when he told me to.
At some point I realized that I was running around on gravel in P.J.'s and bare-feet. So, I went into the house to get my boots and robe on. I also checked the attic to see if it was OK - lots of smoke - no obvious fire. The house was OK too - just smoke.
I went back outside. By this time the fire had spread to the shingles on the side of the house and under the gutter on the main house (our bedroom wall). Don couldn't see the fire from where he was on the living-room roof - so, I was telling him where to spray.
And at this point - for some reason - I decided to go back and check inside the house (we both feel that our guardian angel must have tapped me on the shoulder - 2 or 3 minutes later and it would have been out of control.
The fire had exploded through the living-room ceiling where it attaches to the main house (main burn). Don's tapestry from Japan had burned and fallen behind and over the couch. That was burning. Hot coals were all over the couch and rug. Another smaller fire had burned through the ceiling over the wood stove. The main burn was burning like a blow-torch. A picture on the wall by the kitchen door - 10' away from the fire - melted and buckled.
I ran into the kitchen and pulled the fire extinguisher off the wall (breaking the plastic strap holding it!), ran into the living room, read the directions, pulled the pin, and couldn't get it to work. Threw it down, ran outside, yelled that the living room was on fire, pulled the hose away from Don, ran back into the house. Sprayed water on the flames and coals at ground level, then climbed onto the back of the couch and started pouring water into the main burn. At this point I figured we were going to lose everything.
Don climbed down from the roof and ran in, saw me standing on the back of the couch spraying water into the inferno, and he also thought that everything was lost.
But, we got it put out. I'm still not sure how. Don climbed up into the attic - all smoke/little oxygen, and crawled to the far end (by the living-room) to make sure the fire hadn't burned through the wall. There wasn't any fire or hot spots on the wall. I was afraid he would pass out, but he made it back down -lots of coughing and choking.
It was 9:45 am. Probably the shortest hour of my life!!!!
We'll have to replace the roof and ceiling and the wall behind the wood-stove. Maybe some rafters. But, other that, damage was minimal.
The carpet is ruined, but I was planning on getting rid of it and the one in our bedroom this summer (bare floors are easier on allergies). So, that's no loss. The afghans and cover on the couch were scorched and wet, but the couch is OK - 2 small damp spots and one small scorched spot.
The VCR, TV and stereo speakers were right under and to both sides of the main burn, and are unharmed!!! The speaker wires were burned through and will have to be replaced. The cover I made for the VCR is burned and was wet, but no water in the VCR or TV. The speakers were damp but they dried out.
Because the roof burned first, (the aluminum roofing melted!!) the smoke and steam from all the water must have all gone outside. We expected way more smoke and water damage. The skylight is ruined. Don put a couple of lines up in the kitchen so I can dry wet books and magazines.
We were really lucky. Murphy was hog-tied that day!!! Or busy giving someone else the shaft. Everything went right. Even the fire extinguisher not working was right. Don pulled the trigger later to find out what was wrong with it - and it worked for him - but I couldn't breathe - I had to run outside and cough and choke for awhile. If it had choked me earlier, I couldn't have wet things down so fast!!! And the fire probably would have been out of control before Don managed to get down from the roof.
We spent the rest of the day going around feeling the walls to make sure there was no fire lurking in any of them. We just couldn't believe that it was over and the house wasn't a smoking pile of rubble!!!
We've closed off the living-room and are living in the main house until we can fix things this spring. Don put a tarp over the roof to keep the rain out.
That's all the news from here. What's going on at your place??
Love, Jamie
Note: That was the Siberian Express winter. Our water was frozen for most of two weeks. We had to haul water in buckets from our spring. But, right in the middle of this cold time was a couple days of thaw and we had water - that's when the fire happened. Two days either way, and we would have had no water to put it out.
This is a copy of a letter I wrote to Elaine just after the fire:
Dear Elaine,
How are you? We're both fine - I suppose Mom has told you about our excitement - when the house almost burned!!! It was touch and go for awhile.
Wednesday morning (January 9, 1991) at 8 am, Don got up, lit the fire in the living-room stove, turned on KXL (all news radio), and came back to bed to wait for the house to warm up a little. (Later) the announcer said that it was 8:34 and I turned to Don and said that something smelled BAD.
So, he went out to check the stove, and the next thing I knew he was tearing the metal plates off the wall behind the stove and throwing things around. He ran into the kitchen and filled a pot with water and told me to fill pans, which I did. He poured the water into the wall behind the wood-stove, extinguishing the fire.
He ran into the bedroom and put on his clothes and shoes. I was still in the living room and looked up through the skylight and the entire roof (in that area) was on fire and the skylight was burning. So, I started screaming, "The skylight's on fire get the hose!"
Don ran outside, got the hose, and turned it on, got the ladder and climbed onto the roof, and sprayed water all over the place. He was a hero. He burned and cut his hand tearing up hot metal either on the roof or earlier in the living room, or both. He was blistered later. He was up on the roof in all that poisonous smoke and heat not knowing if he'd be able to get off the roof if the fire wasn't put out.
Of course, I was doing important things too: Jumping up and down, wringing my hands, and yelling, "The skylight's on fire. The skylight's on fire!" (Just in case he hadn't noticed, ya know!) And other brilliant observations. I did un-kink the hose and move it for him when he told me to.
At some point I realized that I was running around on gravel in P.J.'s and bare-feet. So, I went into the house to get my boots and robe on. I also checked the attic to see if it was OK - lots of smoke - no obvious fire. The house was OK too - just smoke.
I went back outside. By this time the fire had spread to the shingles on the side of the house and under the gutter on the main house (our bedroom wall). Don couldn't see the fire from where he was on the living-room roof - so, I was telling him where to spray.
And at this point - for some reason - I decided to go back and check inside the house (we both feel that our guardian angel must have tapped me on the shoulder - 2 or 3 minutes later and it would have been out of control.
The fire had exploded through the living-room ceiling where it attaches to the main house (main burn). Don's tapestry from Japan had burned and fallen behind and over the couch. That was burning. Hot coals were all over the couch and rug. Another smaller fire had burned through the ceiling over the wood stove. The main burn was burning like a blow-torch. A picture on the wall by the kitchen door - 10' away from the fire - melted and buckled.
I ran into the kitchen and pulled the fire extinguisher off the wall (breaking the plastic strap holding it!), ran into the living room, read the directions, pulled the pin, and couldn't get it to work. Threw it down, ran outside, yelled that the living room was on fire, pulled the hose away from Don, ran back into the house. Sprayed water on the flames and coals at ground level, then climbed onto the back of the couch and started pouring water into the main burn. At this point I figured we were going to lose everything.
Don climbed down from the roof and ran in, saw me standing on the back of the couch spraying water into the inferno, and he also thought that everything was lost.
But, we got it put out. I'm still not sure how. Don climbed up into the attic - all smoke/little oxygen, and crawled to the far end (by the living-room) to make sure the fire hadn't burned through the wall. There wasn't any fire or hot spots on the wall. I was afraid he would pass out, but he made it back down -lots of coughing and choking.
It was 9:45 am. Probably the shortest hour of my life!!!!
We'll have to replace the roof and ceiling and the wall behind the wood-stove. Maybe some rafters. But, other that, damage was minimal.
The carpet is ruined, but I was planning on getting rid of it and the one in our bedroom this summer (bare floors are easier on allergies). So, that's no loss. The afghans and cover on the couch were scorched and wet, but the couch is OK - 2 small damp spots and one small scorched spot.
The VCR, TV and stereo speakers were right under and to both sides of the main burn, and are unharmed!!! The speaker wires were burned through and will have to be replaced. The cover I made for the VCR is burned and was wet, but no water in the VCR or TV. The speakers were damp but they dried out.
Because the roof burned first, (the aluminum roofing melted!!) the smoke and steam from all the water must have all gone outside. We expected way more smoke and water damage. The skylight is ruined. Don put a couple of lines up in the kitchen so I can dry wet books and magazines.
We were really lucky. Murphy was hog-tied that day!!! Or busy giving someone else the shaft. Everything went right. Even the fire extinguisher not working was right. Don pulled the trigger later to find out what was wrong with it - and it worked for him - but I couldn't breathe - I had to run outside and cough and choke for awhile. If it had choked me earlier, I couldn't have wet things down so fast!!! And the fire probably would have been out of control before Don managed to get down from the roof.
We spent the rest of the day going around feeling the walls to make sure there was no fire lurking in any of them. We just couldn't believe that it was over and the house wasn't a smoking pile of rubble!!!
We've closed off the living-room and are living in the main house until we can fix things this spring. Don put a tarp over the roof to keep the rain out.
That's all the news from here. What's going on at your place??
Love, Jamie
Note: That was the Siberian Express winter. Our water was frozen for most of two weeks. We had to haul water in buckets from our spring. But, right in the middle of this cold time was a couple days of thaw and we had water - that's when the fire happened. Two days either way, and we would have had no water to put it out.
Sunday, March 05, 2000
Is Gun Control the Answer?
Is Gun Control the Answer?
To: "purehumour"
Subject: [PureHumour © ] Gun Control...??? Part 1 of 3
From: "Paul Croft"
Hello all....
To: "purehumour"
Subject: [PureHumour © ] Gun Control...??? Part 1 of 3
From: "Paul Croft"
Hello all....
This
is NOT your regular issue of Purehumour...this is instead YOUR voices on a
sensitive issue. My opinions are not
expressed in the letters below....they were all sent to me in response to the
comments that I made on Wednesday March 1, 2000 regarding the school shooting
of a six-year old girl by a six-year old classmate. I must have hit a nerve because so many of
you took the time to write and voice your opinions! The overwhelming consensus...in my
opinion...is that the problem will NOT be solved by gun control...PARENTS need
to take control again instead! The full
names have been removed from all the emails...but they are on file if anyone
disputes any of the comments. If your
email was published here without your consent...I apologize to you in
advance...but if we can save the life of just ONE child with these words...then
we have all accomplished something.
Please feel free to forward this to whomever you feel would like to read
it...send it to your congressman (woman)...send it to the President....or just
send it to your address book.
Also
before I am challenged on this issue...let me plainly state that I am a
Canadian and therefore have only a passing interest in American politics...I
have NO hidden agenda...my only concern, and the reason for publishing this
special edition, is for OUR children.
Please do not take any of this as an endorsement of any political party
and/or any political group in the US!
On
another note...I never realized how big this project would become...you
obviously have feelings that you want to get out to the world....to the people
who have no opinion on this subject...and wish it would go away...please just
delete these emails NOW...to the rest of you...please read and learn from what
our fellow WORLD citizens are saying!
--Paul
I (Paul)
said:
Some
things in this world just don't make sense...when a six year old child has
access to a gun...and then uses that gun to kill a classmate in school...there
is something seriously wrong! When we
wake up and realize that we must do something to stop these kids from getting
guns...when will they realize that there is a better way to deal with their
problems....it was bad enough when these shootings occurred in high
schools...but when it graduates into a kindergarten class....what is next? Responses to the comments that I made on
Wednesday March 1, 2000 regarding the school shooting of a six-year old girl by
a six-year old classmate.
YOU (the readers)
said:
I
am a citizen of the USA. This country
has a lot of problems and one of the consequences of our problems is all the
violence in our schools. What do I think
causes this violence?
Taxes
take such a large percentage of our income that most mothers have to work
whether they want to or not. Argue
women's lib all you want - there's nothing as beneficial to a child as having
his/her mother available after school to monitor his activities. Make that a sober/drug-free mother in light
of the recent news reports on the latest shooting.
TV
violence that teaches children to punch, stab, shoot or blow-up anyone who gets
in your way or pisses you off. You say
violence on TV or in the movies doesn't affect the children who watch 100's of
hours of it every week? Tell that to the
advertisers who pay millions of dollars every year to get you to watch a few
minutes of commercial touting their products.
Music
videos and CD's that preach and glorify violence. If our children spend thousand of hours with
a CD booming hate and violence into their ears - can we expect them to be
loving and peaceful? If they listen to
music that preaches the glory of killing cops and raping virgins - can we
expect our children to respect authority and treat women gently. Can we expect our daughters to become kind
and nurturing if that is what they listen to during most of their waking hours?
Schools
that have not only banned the 10 commandments and prayer - but are actually now
teaching our children that there are no moral absolutes.
I
have a small shop in a small town. Do
you want to know how much inventory is stolen every year? I'm in my mid-forties. When I was growing up it was still considered
a crime to steal - and a shameful thing to be caught shoplifting. Now we have schools teaching our kids that
maybe it's not really wrong to steal if you really NEED something. Excuse me.
There's not one item in my shop that ANYONE needs. Wants - yes. Can't live without - not hardly.
When
I was growing up we all knew that actions had consequences. Pay attention in school, do your homework,
study for the exam and you get good grades.
Goof off and you fail and get held back a grade. Now everyone passes. There can't be any grades and no one can be
wrong because that is bad for self-esteem.
Our schools can't teach our children how to read, write, or do math -
but boy do those kids have healthy self- esteem!!
I
see the product of today's culture and school system walking past my shop all
the time. They look terrible, speak poor
English, swear to make a sailor blush (and the girls are worse than the boys),
have no respect for authority, and have poor self-control. But, they do have marvelous
self-esteem!!! And, yes, I am aware that
every "older generation" has looked down on every "younger
generation" from the beginning of time.
Then
there are other kids who are growing up with good morals, good work habits,
respect for authority, they speak properly and are a joy to be around. Some of them are being educated in public
schools - but most of them are being home schooled. They also have parents who are involved in
their lives. And they belong to a church
(it doesn't matter which religion) and are getting a good moral grounding. They work to earn the things they want.
Does
this mean that every child who goes to public school, has only one parent or
two working parents, doesn't attend church, is given too much money to spend
without having to earn it, or has no money at all, and has very little
supervision will turn out to be foul-mouthed, dishonest, criminal, lazy, and
violent?
No,
of course not. Some of the best people
have come from horrible conditions and have been able to rise above them. But, they were a minority.
Does
this mean that every child who comes from a two-parent home where the mother
doesn't work, attends church every week, and has a perfect up-bringing will
become a model citizen No, of course not.
Some of the worst people have come from the best conditions.
But,
if we have 14-years -olds having babies.
If the government awards girls for getting pregnant without being
married by paying them a monthly "allowance." If we have a government
that taxes married couples higher than singles who live together. If we have schools that teach our children
that there are no moral absolutes. If we
have schools that are teaching our children that actions have no consequences. If we have mis-leaders in the highest
positions of authority who "get away with it." And if we have
children who spend 100's of hours watching TV shows and music videos full of
mindless violence.
Why
are we surprised when one child brings a gun to school and kills another
child? -Jamie
Sunday, January 10, 1999
An Eventful Day at the Crafter's Mall
An Eventful Day at the Crafter's Mall
Saturday was an eventful day at the Mall. I had no customers
- but that was because the parking lot, Salmon Harbor Drive and the right turn
lane on Highway 101 were full of rescue vehicles.
I was working on taxes at the table when I heard the crash -
no brakes - just the crunch. A small light colored car traveling south on
Highway 101 hit a Chevy Blazer which was crossing the Highway from the Odyssey
ATV place trying to get to our store to check out the ATV's over here that are available to rent. (I found
all this out later).
What I saw was a "van" flying over the top of the
hood of the small car – it rolled once in the air, hit the ground rolled into
Salmon Harbor Drive and up onto the hill leading to our parking lot - the hill
stopped it and it rolled back down to Salmon Harbor Drive on the passenger side
of the vehicle - where it spun around a couple of times and ended up with the
underside of the "van" facing our store. When I first saw it flying
toward me – I thought they were going to end up in our store!!!
You know how when a crash happens in the movies everything slows down and you see every excruciating detail? Yeah, well, that doesn't happen in real
life. At least not this time. It was all over in a flash.
I ran for the phone and dialed 911. The owner of the grocery
store next door, Chuck, ran for the cars. A friend who lives across the street,
Willie, was home and he ran over also. There were several vehicles traveling on
Salmon Harbor Drive and they all stopped and ran to help. Chuck started to run back
to the store and I yelled at him that I had 911 on the phone and someone yelled
at me to get an ambulance here NOW.
I told the operator about the accident - she asked how many
vehicles were involved and I said one car and one van and that the van had
flipped several times and they needed an ambulance. She got all the information
she needed asked my name and said that she had my number so I could hang up. I did.
There were plenty of people helping so I stayed where I was in case they called
me back.
There were three people in that Blazer - father, mother and
son (about 7 or 8 years old) - plus two large dogs. No one was hurt. Their
airbags didn't deploy because all the stress was sideways - but their seatbelts
kept them in place. They had a barrier to keep the dogs in the back of the
Blazer - so the dogs rolled around in the back of the car - but stayed in place. Everyone
who saw the wreck figured there would be mangled bodies inside.
A woman, who will be called Sally, because that's not her
name (the name is changed to protect the guilty in this story), and her husband
were just across the Highway in her brother's trailer. After the wreck they came
outside to see what was going on then got into their van and drove across the
highway to park near the accident. By
the time they arrived the family was out of the Blazer and the people who had
stopped to help were getting the dogs and personal effects out of the vehicle.
There was a girl driving the small car and she got out of
her car with help, walked around the car toward the store and collapsed on the
steep bank leading from the highway to the store. She sat there with an elderly
lady who had been in a car way behind hers.
Minutes after the accident vehicles started pulling into our
parking lot - personal vehicles - cars and small pickups - belonging to the WB
Fire Department Volunteers. They all had walkie-talkies and were talking on
them when they arrived and had WBFPD license plates - so I could tell who they
were. This was several months before I would become one of "them."
They checked out all the victims - put out flares and
cleared away traffic so the emergency vehicles could arrive. We ended up with a
state police car, two county deputy cars, a green "Law enforcement"
jeep, a yellow rescue vehicle, an ambulance, two fire trucks, and two Mast
Bros. tow trucks.
The police spray painted where the two rigs ended up and
took statements. They asked me but, I didn't have anything to say because I didn't see what
caused the wreck.
I stayed at the store watching Sally and her husband. They
weren't helping direct traffic or helping the victims - and I happen to know
they are both thieves - so I was watching them. The people from the Blazer had
a pile of belongings under the Pelican Market sign.
Sally gave a statement to every officer. She kept going over
to the mother and putting her arms around her - which the lady didn't want.
A friend, Viki, stopped just after the accident happened and
stayed with me in the store. She wanted to know what I was doing. (I would move
to keep Sally and her husband in my line of sight - so I told her that there
were two people out there who tended to take advantage of any situation and I was
watching them. She knew who they were.)
Why Sally was making statements to the police I have no
idea. I was sitting at the Craft Mall with a ring-side seat and didn't feel
qualified to say what happened.
She was inside a trailer - even if she had been looking out
the only window on that side of the trailer she would have been facing the
wrong way - and by the time they came outside it was over.
The only people qualified to say what happened were in the car
behind the girl victim and in the two cars heading north on Highway 101 - they
were not involved in the accident because they were still on the hill when it happened.
Fortunately there were no cars waiting at the stop sign on Salmon Harbor Drive.
The two drivers couldn't even tell the officers what
happened. The father in the Blazer never saw the small car and the girl driving
the car didn't see the Blazer – she never touched her brakes until after she
hit the other vehicle.
The accident happened around 1:15. Around 2:30 the rescue
vehicles left. The girl in the small car was taken to the hospital to be
checked because her neck hurt. Only one county deputy and the state cop stayed.
And Mast Bros. began loading the vehicles. They put a chain on the Blazer and
pulled it upright - I saw for the first time that it wasn't a van. Viki left. Everyone
who lived in the area, and had run to help, left. Sally and hubby were still
there.
I walked over to the mother and asked if she wanted to come
into our store with her son where it was warm and they could sit down. She said
that she couldn't leave the dogs and I told her to bring them with her. So the
four of them came over to our store and I closed the door behind them to keep
in the heat from the sun.
We had a pleasant visit, considering the circumstances. I
let them lead the conversation. I got water for the dogs. The dad called AAA
and found a car rental place in North Bend where they could get a car and be
able to leave it at the Portland airport. They live in Vancouver, WA. His wife called him Mike. He called a taxi to take him to North Bend. I
told him that his wife and son and dogs were welcome to stay with me while he did
what he needed to do (rent a car and find a bank to get more money). We carried
their stuff over to the store and piled it on the sidewalk. The taxi came and
he left. So did Sally and hubby.
Mike got back around 4:30 and he offered me $20 for my
trouble - I put my hands behind my back and said no thanks. Mike said that he'd
read about small towns where people helped someone in need but had never
experienced it himself until that day. He was really impressed and they would
be back again. The boy said that it was too bad that Mike's job - he designs equipment
for telecommunications - couldn't be in our town - because he thought it would
be a great place to live. We loaded their stuff in the trunk of the car and I
went back into the store to make sure they had everything. Sally drove back across the highway into our
parking lot, got out of her vehicle, and started talking to them back at the
trunk of their car.
She said that after she'd helped to pull them out of their
car (she must have gotten a funny look because she immediately changed the
story to 'after my husband helped '. . . (all the people pulling them out of
their car were men - the women stayed back and helped the boy and his mom after
they got out – AND Sally and husband arrived AFTER the people had been pulled from the vehicles) she said that she went over to help the girl in the
other car. She told them that the girl was moving her head around and that the girl
had said that she was fine. And Sally told them she'd be glad to give them her
name and address so they could use her testimony.
They said thanks but no thanks and that they were glad the
girl had been taken to the hospital to make sure she was OK and that their
insurance would take care of whatever happened. Then they walked away from
Sally and came back to me. Sally drove away. The boy hugged me and told me I
was a really nice lady, the parents shook my hand. Mike started to tell me what
Sally said - but I just shook my head and Mike nodded (I think they must have
smelled opportunist). They left. The
dogs were named Sarah (part shepherd and part Rottweiler) and Loki (black lab).
I don't know the name of the mother or son - we didn't exchange names - I
figured they wouldn't remember mine later anyway and there were other things
that were more important.
The mother said that they had moved from Florida to
Vancouver after Thanksgiving and had found a house and moved in. They'd decided
to spend the weekend at the coast and had picked Winchester Bay.
The Blazer was her first brand new vehicle and was four
years old - they'd just paid it off last year -1998. Most of the information
came form the son. With the mother correcting when necessary. The top of the
Blazer had been crunched in on her side and hit her head. She had a headache –
took three aspirin. So, mostly needed some peace and quiet. I entertained the
son and dogs so she could pace the store and burn off adrenaline. And go to the
bathroom at the store to wash her face - she could feel splinters of glass.
Mostly they needed to feel safe while the Mike was getting
their rental car.
When Sally showed up as they were leaving - she tried to
give the mother some drugs that she takes for her headaches. No thanks.
I've seen cars go flying through the air in movies - but
always figured they had to use charges to get the cars airborne. I never
expected to see such a thing in real life and never hope to see it again. I
still can't believe they weren't hurt.
Note: The woman named "Sally" in the above, worked
with Jamie in the store. There had been
lots of thefts going on in the store, and with the help of a security camera
and VCR they caught her on tape pocketing money from sales instead of ringing
them up on the cash register. She was asked to leave the store. After she left everyone took inventory and
were shocked at the total amount of missing items. Of course, she was not the only thief, but
she did more than her "fair share" of damage.
Sunday, January 01, 1995
My Story
My Story - with questions to my Mom and her replies and a few emails to my friend, Spike the Grate
-------------------------
I was born January 30, 1956 the oldest child of Richard Lee Owen and Neona May Brand. My brother, David Wayne Owen was born just over a year after my birth, on February 20, 1957.
When I was almost 3 years old we lived on a ranch owned by Dad's boss, Walter Brehme. They raised, sheep, hogs, cattle and several kinds of fruit. They had a big old horse that we kids could ride with adult supervision. Her name was Suzie Q. One year they had a bummer lamb that the mother had rejected and I was allowed to bottle feed it until it was old enough to be either butchered or put to pasture with the rest of the sheep. We called him Pamper.
One day I was in the pig barn with Dad and a fly flew into my mouth and down my throat and I swallowed it. Yuck!!!! That still grosses me out.
******************************
where was it that Dad collected stale bread from bakeries for the pigs to eat?
MOM: We lived on Walter's ranch at this time. Once a week he drove that big truck to San Francisco to the French bread bakery...we can't at this time remember the name of the bakery, but they make all kinds of breads, rolls, etc. We never wanted for bread, as not all of it went to the pigs!!
******************************
Whose house burned? I remember kids playing with matches and their house burned?
MOM: Renee and family lived at Walter's ranch. The fire you are remembering was at Kay and Barbara Bryson's house. They lived down on the highway, close to Walter's house. The kids, Artie and Pat were playing with matches in their bedroom. The day was windy and the shingles were blowing off and landing in the fields. We were told to leave and we did. I don't remember where we went...
*****************************
My brother Keith Richard Owen was born on October 24, 1959 and Randall Lee Owen was born on August 7, 1961 while we lived at Walter's ranch.
Grandpa Brand gave us a dog named Candy - she was the sister of his dog, Buttons. Candy thought that we children were her puppies. When we were really young she'd let us crawl all over her and poke our fingers in her eyes and mouth and was really patient with us. But, as we each got older, she would let us know that type of behavior was no longer tolerated. Mom told us that if Candy ever had to bite one of us - we'd be spanked for provoking her!
The area where we lived was sheep and cattle country. Sometimes the ranchers would have trouble with packs of dogs that would chase their sheep and kill them. One day a rancher brought Candy home. He'd shot her because she was in his pasture. After he got to her he recognized her as our dog. So, he brought her home to us. The bullet had gone completely through her. So, Mom made a bed for her under the kitchen table. And we kids took turns keeping her company so she'd lay quietly and heal.
She got well, but always hated the sound of gunshots, jets flying overhead, and men after that. She was very overprotective of us kids.
One day Loren Smith came to our ranch to go bow hunting with Dad. The front door was open, but the screen door was closed to keep insects outside. We kids were sitting with our backs to the front door and Candy was playing with us. Mr. Smith wanted to go outside and, just to be funny, he rattled the door and spoke to us in a gruff voice. Candy came flying at the man from where she'd been playing. If he hadn't had a screen door between him and that furious dog, she might have ripped his throat out. She thought he was threatening her puppies!
The family next door (Renee's family) had a huge pig that we called Porky Pig. I would ride on her back and give her big kisses. Dad took movie pictures of me with Porky and always threatened to show the movie to any boy I brought home.
One time we were eating dinner at Aunt Lois and Uncle Erny's house. They were having pork chops for dinner. David refused to eat his and Uncle Erny told him that it was delicious pork just like Porky Pig (meaning the cartoon character. Poor Uncle Erny didn't know we were personally acquainted with a Porky Pig) - Which just made David sob in misery that anyone would eat our Porky Pig!!
Pippo's Ranch
********************************
You had a friend who had two sons LaFawn (?) and?
MOM: LaFaun (I'm not sure of the spelling) was the older one. I can't remember the younger boy's name. He did wear glasses. We lived down the hill from them on the Pippo Ranch and you rode the bus together to school. Sister Clanton was your babysitter when I was at work. We knew them from church.
They were probably in their late 40's at this time. One day they were down at our house and we were all sitting in the yard under the shade trees. Brother Clanton said teasingly to her he was going to trade her in on two twenty's. She promptly told him he wasn't wired for 220! We got a kick out of that.
This must have been when we were on the five acre place. Because the boys used to protect me on the school bus. I think it was these two boys - at least one of them wore glasses.
I remember this because there were a lot of black and hispanic kids on the bus and we were the only whites. So, the black boys would tease me and LaFawn and his brother would protect me and the other kids called at least one of them Four-eyes because he wore glasses.
They were my heroes until we were at their house one day and one of them shot a small bird - probably a sparrow. I ran to where it lay on the ground and it was still alive - just wounded. I wanted to take it home and nurse it back to health. But, one of the boys took out his pocket knife and cut the birds head off and threw it away. This was terribly shocking to me – that anyone would deliberately kill a living creature. I guess I didn’t know where roast beef came from at this time.
******************************
When I was in the first grade we moved to a five-acre ranch near Vacaville, California on Winters Freeway. We had a horse named Rusty Dusty, a Honda motorcycle, and a swimming pool. Our Jorgenson and Parker cousins liked to visit us during the summer and take turns riding the horse or cycle or swimming.
My first day riding the school bus from our ranch into Vacaville I was told to remember the number of my bus because I would take the same bus home. Unfortunately this was not exactly true. When school let out, I walked down the line of busses until I found the one I'd ridden in that morning and I got on. It went out into the country - but not on the route that went to our house. After all the kids had been delivered home except me the driver wanted to know where I lived and why I was on her bus. I explained as best as a first grader can where I lived and she eventually found our house. And the next day I found out which bus I was supposed to take to get home.
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MOM: Do you remember the day we got up and went to school an hour early because I misread the clock? You went out and waited and waited for the bus, and I thought you had missed it. So we got to school and no one was there. I had hurried you so that morning you didn't get a proper breakfast so we went to a restaurant and had breakfast while we were waiting for time to go to school. I had been watching the minute hand on the clock, and hurrying you two up. There was some special day at school, I remember you were dressed up for some reason...I remember David had on his cowboy shirt and hat...don't remember anything else about it.
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Then Dad bought Crystal Valley Dairy in Rio Vista and we moved to Fourth Street across the street from the Fire Station.
During the summer months Mom and Dad would take us kids to Yosemite National Park and we'd live there for what seemed like most of the summer - Dad & Mom say it was a week or so at a time (time is different when you're 8 than when you're 27!!) They'd rent two or three camp sites and we'd tie clothes line on the trees around our camp and hang blankets and sheets from the clothes line to make our camp private. Sometimes Aunt Lois and her kids or Aunt Betty with Linda and Davey and maybe even Grandpa and Grandma Owen would join us.
We would hike to the top of the Vernal and Nevada falls (Vernada) or swim in the creek. Of course there were lots of animals to feed including the bears. And at night we got to go to the dump and watch the bears and wait for the "Fire Falls."
Most campers would watch the Fire Falls from Camp Curry or the meadow. But, we usually went to the dump because Dad & Mom knew that the bears would be out there looking for food and that would keep us kids entertained until dark.
The rangers would pile wood at the top of Glacier Point. Then they would set the wood on fire and when they had a huge bed of coals, they'd call to a ranger down below "Hello, Camp Curry!" Then the ranger from Camp Curry would answer "Hello, Glacier Point!" The Glacier Point Ranger would call, "Are you Ready?" and the Curry Ranger would answer, "Let the Fire Fall!" It was awesome!!! But, the environmentalists have put an end to the Fire Fall.
At the top of Vernada Falls is a bridge that you cross to get to a building on the other side of the river. I remember a bathroom but don't know what else was in the building. Anyway, one time when we'd hiked to the top of the falls there was a woman on the bridge. And a black bear started across the bridge. The woman panicked. Instead of turning around and calmly walking away from the bear or just standing her ground and letting it walk past her, she climbed over the railing of the bridge. She hung onto the railing with her hands and her feet were on the bridge and a river rushed under her that just a few feet away fell a long way to bottom of the falls! If she'd lost her footing, there would have been no way anyone could have saved her.
The bears in Yosemite were used to people. Campers fed them - which caused problems because the bears would become demanding or they'd tear open cars to get the food that was left inside. Occasionally a bear would become too demanding and would have to be tranquilized and moved deeper in the mountains away from people. But, the real danger would have been if a person got between a mother and her cub. Which Dad, David and I almost did one time.
There was a small creek behind our campsite with large rocks in it that were just right for stepping stones. But, David and I were unsure of our footing and would have to hold Dad's hands as we crossed the creek on the rocks. Until the day we got between a mother bear and her twin cubs. The cubs were up in a tree. When the mother bear let us know that she didn't want us anywhere near her cubs we all ran back to camp across creek. David and I didn't need any help making it across on the rocks
(can't remember the story here - was this the one where one of us was pretending to be a bear and then there was a bear or the one where we were crawling across a log across a creek - having a hard time balancing - until we figured out that we were between a bear and cub and Dad scooped us up and ran across the log - both stories are mixed up in my head)
Then one year there were no bears. We put out bacon and marshmallows to lure bears to our camp. But, none showed up.
One time we fed grapes to a raccoon. At bedtime, Dad put all the food in the cab of our van to keep the animals from eating it. But, the raccoon was watching and as soon as we went to bed, he opened the cab door and got into the van and helped himself to the grapes!!!! As far as he was concerned they belonged to him.
Then Aunt Lois bought a membership in Hidden Valley Ranch Club and invited us to be her guests. They had horses to ride, sports to play, a swimming pool, dances at night, or bingo. It was a lot of fun.
MOM: Les was Lois's Leslie Ann and Lesser was Bill and Lola's Leslie Jean. Both girls were quite small...tenny boppers...but physically small, and Lesser was the smaller of the two...which is why we called them Les and Lesser. There is a story about Erny watching the lifeguard watching Keith swimming. You'll get a kick out of it.
Every morning they would put on their makeup before they were even fully awake and then go to the shower room and take a shower and then put their makeup on again!!!
They were afraid that they would run into some good looking guy on their way to the shower room and felt naked without their makeup!!!
When Yosemite became too crowded we would camp at the Russian River or travel to other places during the summer.
My sister Elaine Denise Owen was born on August 8, 1969 while we were living at the fourth street house. Dad was still at work when Mom felt that the baby was ready to come. So she called the ambulance to take her to the hospital in Fairfield. She asked me to watch the boys until Dad got home.
Once Elaine was old enough to sleep through the night, her crib was put in my bedroom - she was my baby doll.
When I was in eighth grade, Dad & Mom flew all of us and a friend of mine named Yvonne Disney to Anaheim, California and we spent the weekend at Disneyland. My favorite rides were Small World and Pirates of the Caribbean.
Entries from my Diary:
Sept. 1, 1970 - Tuesday
Not much happening today. Cleaned house and took care of the kids for Mom. Grandma is still in the hospital. Aunt Lois and Lori are here.
Sept. 2, 1970 - Wednesday
Dad & Mom are trying out a new air conditioned van. Cindy, Aunt Lois, Lori, Mom, Dad, Elaine and I are going shopping for school clothes in either Stockton or Lodi.
There's a dance tonight at MIA. Lori, Cindy and I are going. but David doesn't want to go. Mom and Dad are going to drop us off at the Church on the way to Grandpa's house. Called Grandpa's house from the Church to find out about Cindy spending the night. Grandpa answered and told me that Grandma had died at around 7:30 pm. Lori and I went out back of the Church and cried for awhile. Then we went back into the building. We washed our faces in the bathroom. Everyone was really nice. (Cindy had told them), Dad came and got us. The funeral will be Friday.
Sept. 4, 1970 - Friday.
Freshman Orientation this morning and Grandma's funeral this afternoon. What a contrast.
May 22, 1971 - Saturday
Am spending the weekend with Charla
May 23, 1971 - Sunday
Mom called and said that I have to come home. Keith had been bitten by a rattle snake and was in the Napa hospital and she needed for me to take care of the kids.
May 24, 1971 - Monday
Keith came home from the hospital early this afternoon. He can hardly walk and has needle tracks all over him. His hand looks like a rubber glove filled with water!!!
June 4, 1970 - Friday
Went to San Jose after school. Uncle Ed flew in from Idaho. Broke my nose fighting with Lori and David. Man did it ever hurt. They hit me so hard that it knocked me out. My nose didn't bleed - that's a surprise.
June 5, 1970 - Saturday
My nose is swollen and my eyes are black. I can't breathe out of my nose - it hurts like anything.
June 6, 1970 - Sunday
Uncle Bob, Donny and Manon came over and we went swimming. Aunt Harriet came over and told us that Donald is worse. He hasn't come out of his coma yet. His poor wife. I sure hope he is all right.
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An Email to Spike – January 2000
During my sophomore year of High School, I worked various jobs to earn enough money to take a trip to Mexico with a group from Indio, California. Their Spanish teacher had gone to college with my Spanish teacher, Mr. Guidi, and he invited Mr. Guidi's students to go on the trip. Dad & Mom bought my round trip tickets to southern California. But, I earned the money for the trip and my spending money.
My parents moved us to Reedsport in 1972 when I was a junior in High School. Everyone said that we'd hate Oregon because it rained all the time. But, the winter after we moved here it rained mostly at night and was nice during the day. It was probably a perfect winter for Oregon. Until December when it turned cold and snowed. I had to walk to school in the snow - barefoot and uphill both ways (oops that's Mom's story!!).
I've mentioned this winter to other people who were living here at the time and they can remember one perfect winter - but not the exact year it happened - I know the year because it was the first year we were here.
I know what you mean by priorities. Don's priority was always to be independent and work for himself. He and his ex planned to move to Alaska and fish and whatever up there. But, after a trip through Alaska one summer they decided that the mosquitoes could have the place.
So, he commercial fished here in Oregon during the summer and got work doing other things in the winter. And I fished with him during the summer - mostly I "held down the hatch" in a horizontal position to keep from throwing up. I really get seasick!!! But, the good days were fun. We had dolphins playing in our bow wake, killer whales swim around our boat, even a Japanese sunfish floated by one really warm summer - they are the weirdest fish. They're round and flat and float on top of the water (like a pancake on a plate) - one fin down in the water and the other sticking up in the air.
I went to college two years with the intention of becoming a psychologist - but hated the psychology courses!!! Then Don & I married (I worked at a restaurant graveyard shift to pay for college - he came in at 4 or 5 in the morning for breakfast before going out fishing).
While going to college I worked as a waitress at The Oasis and as a personal assistant to the head of the drama department - that was a fun job. I got to be involved in all the plays produced without having to be on stage myself!!! And I helped the head of the music department catalog all of the sheet music and get the department files organized (my "real" boss was performing in a play in Eugene that summer - so he loaned me to the music department).
Then, I worked with Don on the fishing boat, worked at the Nursery just up the road from us (they grow evergreen trees for reforestation) - that was a backbreaking job. I cleaned house for a friend after her surgery - until she could do it herself again. Her husband is a Doctor and I put in some time working in his office while she was healing (she was his office manager). (While I was in high school I did the books for my Dad's business until he sold it and moved to us to Oregon - the stress was killing him and his body told him so with a heart attack).
I've made and sold handcrafted items in several stores in Florence, Reedsport, Eugene, and Winchester Bay. I helped nurse Don's dad when he died of liver cancer (he also had emphysema) and Don's step mother until her daughter could sell the estate and move her mother to Colorado. Don's step mother had terrible arthritis and was in a wheelchair - she was also manic-depressive. But, was taking lithium and that helped. Then Don's mother was diagnosed with terminal lung cancer - so we moved her from Portland to our house to take care of her.
I guess it's just because I was the oldest of 6 kids and both parents worked - I've always been a caretaker. It's just the way things are supposed to be with me - I guess.
I've also worked other gift shops for friends who needed time off. They pay me a flat $25 per day to run their stores, restock any merchandise that comes in, do the banking, whatever comes up.
I've had so many varied jobs that there's never been an opportunity to get bored with my life.
I'm not good with numbers - that's what adding machines are for. I just know where to put the numbers on spreadsheets and how to make up spreadsheets for keeping track of different things. The past two years - and learning how to use computers has been really super. I really enjoy that part of what I'm doing.
Right now my goal is to get rid of all my craft supplies (all those unfinished projects - all those supplies bought for some unforgotten project) and all of my craft inventory by Dec. 31. Get out of the Mall; my friend Joanne also wants out - so, if the other two want to keep it going they can buy our shares in the corporation (for $25!!!!) and do whatever they want with the business.
I'd like to do something with computers. I need a real job now instead of the flittering around that I've been doing.
We have a very simple life. We have an orchard and a garden. We also have a pasture that we rent out for enough money to pay the property taxes. We don't need much but I'm getting older and starting to think about needing health insurance. We've both been very lucky to be so healthy so far.
I'm sorry to hear that you have terminal emphysema but am glad that you have Larry to support you.
And we all do it to ourselves: Don chews tobacco and I'm 100 pounds overweight. Very few people live perfectly clean lives. Well, Ghandi and Mother Teresa - but who wants to be a saint!!!!
You're welcome for the recipes. I'll send more as I get them downloaded or typed.
Jamie
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More Emails to Spike
2/13/00
Hi Spike,
We have a tremendous wind blowing overhead (we live in a canyon - so it blows over the tops of the hills) so the power may go out.
We have wood heat and propane lanterns - but the computer needs electricity!!!
Today I baked bread, cleaned house, typed recipes and listened to a book on tape (I'm listening to a series about a girl who comes to California during the gold rush. Her mother dies on the trip overland - but the kids find their father in the gold fields around Miracle Springs. She becomes a reporter for the California Alta and works on J. C. Fremont's bid for election as president - he was the first Republican nominee - but lost to Buchanan. Lincoln was the first Republican elected during the following election - since you live in Fremont . . .)
Here's my recipe for six loaves of whole wheat bread I spent the first three years we were married getting it right. I've baked it so many times that it just comes naturally to me now (Don won't eat store bread).
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Whole Wheat Potato Bread
Sponge:
6 cups warm water (110o to 115o)
6 tablespoons brown sugar
3 cups (unseasoned) mashed potatoes
6 tablespoons yeast*
3 cups white flour
3 cups whole wheat flour
Mix together the first three ingredients and let set until the yeast if frothy (about 15 minutes). Add the white and wheat flour and mix well. Put in a warm place to rise for about 1 hour.
1 cup oil
2 tablespoons salt
3 cups sunflower seeds
6 cups whole wheat flour
Add the first three ingredients to the sponge and mix well. Mix in the flour. Put in a warm place and allow to rise until double in bulk - about 1 hour.
8 cups (plus or minus) of whole wheat flour for kneading.
Spread the flour on the counter. Scrape the bread dough out of the bowl on top of the flour. Knead until the dough is smooth and elastic and no longer sticky. Set dough back in the bowl and put in a warm place to rise until double in bulk. About 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 400o.**
Divide dough into six even pieces. Roll form each piece into a loaf shape and place in a greased 9" x 3" loaf pan. Allow to rise until the loaf is 1-1/2 - 2 inches above the bread pan.
Bake for 10 minutes at 400o. Reduce heat to 325o and bake for 45-50 minutes longer or until a loaf sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom.
*I buy my yeast in 1 pound bulk packages at Costco.
**my oven runs hot - so I cook everything 25 degrees lower than the temperature called for. You may need to use 425o and 350o in your oven.
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Actually a friend shops at Costco in Eugene for her restaurant and always asks me for my shopping list (yeast is about it for us).
I'm not a shopper either. Food and fabric for clothing is the big thing for me. We have lots of records - but they were all bought before we were married. And hundreds of books that we get at the used book store. People are always giving us books - the hardbacks we read (or not) and then donate to the library (for their used book sale) and paperbacks we keep or trade at the used book store.
I've run garage sales for the entire neighborhood and any books unsold are usually given to me after it's all over. And I've taught craft classes for 4H and the parents usually give me books when they find out that we don't have TV because we are readers (what a strange species they think us to be).
Almost every wall in our house has at least one book shelf - and some walls are completely covered with books!!!!!
Then I discovered Books on Tape at the Library and Love them - I can listen to a book and do my work at the same time. They're Grate!!!!
I've saved up enough money to buy any computer system that I want to get (except Macintosh) but it's such a huge expense that I'm stalling to make sure that I get the right computer. I don't want to spend more than I have to but, also want to get a really good one. And I'm so uneducated about the things.
So, I ask people about their systems.
With three hard drives and 47 gigs - isn't a Pentium II slow? Or did Larry set it up in a way that it wouldn't be slow?
When I first started asking I was told that I should be careful about how many gigs I got - because I'd need a fast enough processor to run the hard drive. So, is there a secret that Larry knows - since he built you computer?
A low center of gravity on a motorcycle means you sit down low and are less likely to tip over. Hondas and other like motorcycles have the seats high and tend to be "tippy". But, Don said that he's noticed a motorcycle and he thought it might be a Kawasaki (SP?) that is built more like a Harley - the rider sits low on the bike.
Jamie
CD's are beyond me. I do know what they are because Joanne has several for her computer - the encyclopedia is on one and games are on another!!!!
I do have a tape player that I use to listen to Books on Tape. And I'd love to hear your music. Thank you.
A Japanese sunfish is kinda yellow or dun colored with a white belly. They are round and flat like a pancake with a big cow eye on each side and a big fin on each side. The one we saw was about the size of a car tire but they can get really big and weigh thousands of pounds.
When they swim they are upright (like a tire on your car) but they prefer to float on top of the water soaking up the sun (I guess that's why the name).
So, when you float by one, all you see is this pancake floating on the surface of the water with one cow eye looking up at you and one fin sticking up in the air. As long as you don't make any sudden movement, they just float by. If you scare them, they turn back the right way and zip off.
About a year before the movie "Jaws" came out, Don had a huge shark following his boat for most of the day. Our boat was The Bounty (so, of course, I called him Captain Bligh)and it was 32 feet long and about 10 feet wide and had a 6 foot draft (the part underwater). Don would pull in his lines and then clean any salmon that he'd caught. And he'd turn around and this huge shark would be right behind him eating the guts he'd just thrown overboard. He said that the head was at least two and a half feet across and it was about 20 feet long (almost as big as the boat). Don would bang on the side of the boat with his gaff and it would drop down and back behind the boat. Then he'd catch another fish or two and it would come back to eat the goodies that Don was throwing in the water. The shark was a light grey color.
We don't usually get great whites in our area because it's too cold. But, there was a warm current for about three years. And this one followed Don for a long time until he decided to call it quits and go back in to harbor because it was scaring the salmon away.
The next year "Jaws" came out and Don found out what kind of shark he'd been feeding! One of the drag boats came in with a 12 foot great white that had been caught in their net. They used a boat hoist to lift it up so everyone could get pictures of themselves standing next to it.
Then Don & I started dating and he told me about his shark. So, one day (I was feeling Grate) I was sitting on the side of the boat with my legs in the water and a stay line between my legs to keep me from falling overboard. There was a basking shark heading toward us and Don yells, "Look out, Jaws is going to get you!" I fell over backward into the boat in my hurry to get away from the water. Don thought it was too funny.
Then he told me what they actually were - just whales. It swam by our boat and then went on it's way. They have these huge dorsal fins like sharks but are harmless. And they are a darker grey than a great white.
Years ago Don was out fishing deep water and had shut down for the night. He crawled into his sleeping bag and went to sleep. Then he work up because he could hear a weird noise. A deep sighing sound. He went out to check the boat and a whale was next to Bounty just laying there and sighing. He didn't know if it was tired or in love. But, he went back to bed and it went away sometime during the night.
But, the most fun are the dolphins. They love to swim in the bow wave of a boat. They play and jump and splash and cross back and forth in front of the boat.
We didn't get to see any of these things very often because our water is too cold. But, sometimes the current would be just right and bring in warm water from California and we'd see all kinds of interesting creatures.
Killer whales are kinda scary because they are so big and swim in pods so there's usually a lot of them. And they eat people. We read a book "Survive the Savage Sea" about a sail boat. It had a white bottom and a pod of killer whales thought it was a whale and did what they do - they dive deep under a whale then rush up and hit the underbelly of the whale as hard as they can to kill it and tear open it's guts.
Well, in this case the first Orca hit the keel of the boat and it killed him. And his pod ate him. It also tore open the haul of the boat. So, the family had to jump in their life raft with whatever they could grab and hope the Orcas wouldn't eat them too. The rest of the story is how they survived until they were rescued.
After reading that - I was a little nervous whenever killer whales were around.
One day we saw a Japanese glass float on the water. So, Don drove the boat until we were close to it and scooped it up with a net. He made a net hanger for it and it's hanging in our kitchen. There used to be glass floats all over the ocean. But, they're harder to find now. The Japanese use plastic for their floats now.
Talk at ya later, Jamie
Two grate minds on the same track. I was about to ask you if you were ready to trade the lemon chicken subject line for something else!!!!
Today is my day off - so instead of doing - whatever - I'm having a ball writing to you.
You could probably use the Potato buds - but you'd have to make them into mashed potatoes first. I have some that I got in bulk (because someone told me they were great for thickening soups and stews - just dump in a spoonful, stir, wait a minute - if it's not thick enough do it again.) but I don't have a recipe for making them into mashed potatoes - maybe you still have the box with the recipe on it? If the recipe calls for butter - you might want to leave it out - or not - I don't know if it would effect the bread - probably not.
What I do is boil my potatoes, * then pour 2 cups of the cooking water into my blender, add potatoes to the 3-1/2 cup mark (so there's 2 cups of water and 1-1/2 cups of potatoes in the blender). Then I blend, pour everything into my big bread bowl. Then I use 2 cups of cooking water to wash out the blender.* Then repeat between the *'s (a crocheting term). It's fast and easy this way. There's never enough cooking water - so I use water out of the tea pot to finish.
Re: your computer.
Maybe it's not slow because of the way he has it set up. Two of my brothers are computer whiz kids (one sets up computer systems for businesses and the other works for Hewlett Packard). Anyway, one of them sent me a set of instructions for getting more room or speed or something. But, I'll have to think about it for awhile before I understand what he said.
Re: 4-H
I taught for 10 years. Sewing, crochet, cross stitch, needlepoint (plastic canvas), macramé - whatever the kids wanted to learn.
One day a week and the most I ever had was 24. You must have had tremendous energy!!!!
I got started because of the people who rented our pasture at that time - for their daughter's horse. Their daughter would ride the school bus to our house and take care of her horse, when she got bored she would work on a craft project with me - since I always had something going. Her Mom was the coordinator for 4H for our area (they were involved in Horse 4H, of course) and she asked me to teach a class since the person who had been the craft leader was retiring.
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I was born January 30, 1956 the oldest child of Richard Lee Owen and Neona May Brand. My brother, David Wayne Owen was born just over a year after my birth, on February 20, 1957.
When I was almost 3 years old we lived on a ranch owned by Dad's boss, Walter Brehme. They raised, sheep, hogs, cattle and several kinds of fruit. They had a big old horse that we kids could ride with adult supervision. Her name was Suzie Q. One year they had a bummer lamb that the mother had rejected and I was allowed to bottle feed it until it was old enough to be either butchered or put to pasture with the rest of the sheep. We called him Pamper.
One day I was in the pig barn with Dad and a fly flew into my mouth and down my throat and I swallowed it. Yuck!!!! That still grosses me out.
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where was it that Dad collected stale bread from bakeries for the pigs to eat?
MOM: We lived on Walter's ranch at this time. Once a week he drove that big truck to San Francisco to the French bread bakery...we can't at this time remember the name of the bakery, but they make all kinds of breads, rolls, etc. We never wanted for bread, as not all of it went to the pigs!!
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Whose house burned? I remember kids playing with matches and their house burned?
MOM: Renee and family lived at Walter's ranch. The fire you are remembering was at Kay and Barbara Bryson's house. They lived down on the highway, close to Walter's house. The kids, Artie and Pat were playing with matches in their bedroom. The day was windy and the shingles were blowing off and landing in the fields. We were told to leave and we did. I don't remember where we went...
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My brother Keith Richard Owen was born on October 24, 1959 and Randall Lee Owen was born on August 7, 1961 while we lived at Walter's ranch.
Grandpa Brand gave us a dog named Candy - she was the sister of his dog, Buttons. Candy thought that we children were her puppies. When we were really young she'd let us crawl all over her and poke our fingers in her eyes and mouth and was really patient with us. But, as we each got older, she would let us know that type of behavior was no longer tolerated. Mom told us that if Candy ever had to bite one of us - we'd be spanked for provoking her!
The area where we lived was sheep and cattle country. Sometimes the ranchers would have trouble with packs of dogs that would chase their sheep and kill them. One day a rancher brought Candy home. He'd shot her because she was in his pasture. After he got to her he recognized her as our dog. So, he brought her home to us. The bullet had gone completely through her. So, Mom made a bed for her under the kitchen table. And we kids took turns keeping her company so she'd lay quietly and heal.
She got well, but always hated the sound of gunshots, jets flying overhead, and men after that. She was very overprotective of us kids.
One day Loren Smith came to our ranch to go bow hunting with Dad. The front door was open, but the screen door was closed to keep insects outside. We kids were sitting with our backs to the front door and Candy was playing with us. Mr. Smith wanted to go outside and, just to be funny, he rattled the door and spoke to us in a gruff voice. Candy came flying at the man from where she'd been playing. If he hadn't had a screen door between him and that furious dog, she might have ripped his throat out. She thought he was threatening her puppies!
The family next door (Renee's family) had a huge pig that we called Porky Pig. I would ride on her back and give her big kisses. Dad took movie pictures of me with Porky and always threatened to show the movie to any boy I brought home.
One time we were eating dinner at Aunt Lois and Uncle Erny's house. They were having pork chops for dinner. David refused to eat his and Uncle Erny told him that it was delicious pork just like Porky Pig (meaning the cartoon character. Poor Uncle Erny didn't know we were personally acquainted with a Porky Pig) - Which just made David sob in misery that anyone would eat our Porky Pig!!
Pippo's Ranch
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You had a friend who had two sons LaFawn (?) and?
MOM: LaFaun (I'm not sure of the spelling) was the older one. I can't remember the younger boy's name. He did wear glasses. We lived down the hill from them on the Pippo Ranch and you rode the bus together to school. Sister Clanton was your babysitter when I was at work. We knew them from church.
They were probably in their late 40's at this time. One day they were down at our house and we were all sitting in the yard under the shade trees. Brother Clanton said teasingly to her he was going to trade her in on two twenty's. She promptly told him he wasn't wired for 220! We got a kick out of that.
This must have been when we were on the five acre place. Because the boys used to protect me on the school bus. I think it was these two boys - at least one of them wore glasses.
I remember this because there were a lot of black and hispanic kids on the bus and we were the only whites. So, the black boys would tease me and LaFawn and his brother would protect me and the other kids called at least one of them Four-eyes because he wore glasses.
They were my heroes until we were at their house one day and one of them shot a small bird - probably a sparrow. I ran to where it lay on the ground and it was still alive - just wounded. I wanted to take it home and nurse it back to health. But, one of the boys took out his pocket knife and cut the birds head off and threw it away. This was terribly shocking to me – that anyone would deliberately kill a living creature. I guess I didn’t know where roast beef came from at this time.
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When I was in the first grade we moved to a five-acre ranch near Vacaville, California on Winters Freeway. We had a horse named Rusty Dusty, a Honda motorcycle, and a swimming pool. Our Jorgenson and Parker cousins liked to visit us during the summer and take turns riding the horse or cycle or swimming.
My first day riding the school bus from our ranch into Vacaville I was told to remember the number of my bus because I would take the same bus home. Unfortunately this was not exactly true. When school let out, I walked down the line of busses until I found the one I'd ridden in that morning and I got on. It went out into the country - but not on the route that went to our house. After all the kids had been delivered home except me the driver wanted to know where I lived and why I was on her bus. I explained as best as a first grader can where I lived and she eventually found our house. And the next day I found out which bus I was supposed to take to get home.
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MOM: Do you remember the day we got up and went to school an hour early because I misread the clock? You went out and waited and waited for the bus, and I thought you had missed it. So we got to school and no one was there. I had hurried you so that morning you didn't get a proper breakfast so we went to a restaurant and had breakfast while we were waiting for time to go to school. I had been watching the minute hand on the clock, and hurrying you two up. There was some special day at school, I remember you were dressed up for some reason...I remember David had on his cowboy shirt and hat...don't remember anything else about it.
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Then Dad bought Crystal Valley Dairy in Rio Vista and we moved to Fourth Street across the street from the Fire Station.
During the summer months Mom and Dad would take us kids to Yosemite National Park and we'd live there for what seemed like most of the summer - Dad & Mom say it was a week or so at a time (time is different when you're 8 than when you're 27!!) They'd rent two or three camp sites and we'd tie clothes line on the trees around our camp and hang blankets and sheets from the clothes line to make our camp private. Sometimes Aunt Lois and her kids or Aunt Betty with Linda and Davey and maybe even Grandpa and Grandma Owen would join us.
We would hike to the top of the Vernal and Nevada falls (Vernada) or swim in the creek. Of course there were lots of animals to feed including the bears. And at night we got to go to the dump and watch the bears and wait for the "Fire Falls."
Most campers would watch the Fire Falls from Camp Curry or the meadow. But, we usually went to the dump because Dad & Mom knew that the bears would be out there looking for food and that would keep us kids entertained until dark.
The rangers would pile wood at the top of Glacier Point. Then they would set the wood on fire and when they had a huge bed of coals, they'd call to a ranger down below "Hello, Camp Curry!" Then the ranger from Camp Curry would answer "Hello, Glacier Point!" The Glacier Point Ranger would call, "Are you Ready?" and the Curry Ranger would answer, "Let the Fire Fall!" It was awesome!!! But, the environmentalists have put an end to the Fire Fall.
At the top of Vernada Falls is a bridge that you cross to get to a building on the other side of the river. I remember a bathroom but don't know what else was in the building. Anyway, one time when we'd hiked to the top of the falls there was a woman on the bridge. And a black bear started across the bridge. The woman panicked. Instead of turning around and calmly walking away from the bear or just standing her ground and letting it walk past her, she climbed over the railing of the bridge. She hung onto the railing with her hands and her feet were on the bridge and a river rushed under her that just a few feet away fell a long way to bottom of the falls! If she'd lost her footing, there would have been no way anyone could have saved her.
The bears in Yosemite were used to people. Campers fed them - which caused problems because the bears would become demanding or they'd tear open cars to get the food that was left inside. Occasionally a bear would become too demanding and would have to be tranquilized and moved deeper in the mountains away from people. But, the real danger would have been if a person got between a mother and her cub. Which Dad, David and I almost did one time.
There was a small creek behind our campsite with large rocks in it that were just right for stepping stones. But, David and I were unsure of our footing and would have to hold Dad's hands as we crossed the creek on the rocks. Until the day we got between a mother bear and her twin cubs. The cubs were up in a tree. When the mother bear let us know that she didn't want us anywhere near her cubs we all ran back to camp across creek. David and I didn't need any help making it across on the rocks
(can't remember the story here - was this the one where one of us was pretending to be a bear and then there was a bear or the one where we were crawling across a log across a creek - having a hard time balancing - until we figured out that we were between a bear and cub and Dad scooped us up and ran across the log - both stories are mixed up in my head)
Then one year there were no bears. We put out bacon and marshmallows to lure bears to our camp. But, none showed up.
One time we fed grapes to a raccoon. At bedtime, Dad put all the food in the cab of our van to keep the animals from eating it. But, the raccoon was watching and as soon as we went to bed, he opened the cab door and got into the van and helped himself to the grapes!!!! As far as he was concerned they belonged to him.
Then Aunt Lois bought a membership in Hidden Valley Ranch Club and invited us to be her guests. They had horses to ride, sports to play, a swimming pool, dances at night, or bingo. It was a lot of fun.
MOM: Les was Lois's Leslie Ann and Lesser was Bill and Lola's Leslie Jean. Both girls were quite small...tenny boppers...but physically small, and Lesser was the smaller of the two...which is why we called them Les and Lesser. There is a story about Erny watching the lifeguard watching Keith swimming. You'll get a kick out of it.
Every morning they would put on their makeup before they were even fully awake and then go to the shower room and take a shower and then put their makeup on again!!!
They were afraid that they would run into some good looking guy on their way to the shower room and felt naked without their makeup!!!
When Yosemite became too crowded we would camp at the Russian River or travel to other places during the summer.
My sister Elaine Denise Owen was born on August 8, 1969 while we were living at the fourth street house. Dad was still at work when Mom felt that the baby was ready to come. So she called the ambulance to take her to the hospital in Fairfield. She asked me to watch the boys until Dad got home.
Once Elaine was old enough to sleep through the night, her crib was put in my bedroom - she was my baby doll.
When I was in eighth grade, Dad & Mom flew all of us and a friend of mine named Yvonne Disney to Anaheim, California and we spent the weekend at Disneyland. My favorite rides were Small World and Pirates of the Caribbean.
Entries from my Diary:
Sept. 1, 1970 - Tuesday
Not much happening today. Cleaned house and took care of the kids for Mom. Grandma is still in the hospital. Aunt Lois and Lori are here.
Sept. 2, 1970 - Wednesday
Dad & Mom are trying out a new air conditioned van. Cindy, Aunt Lois, Lori, Mom, Dad, Elaine and I are going shopping for school clothes in either Stockton or Lodi.
There's a dance tonight at MIA. Lori, Cindy and I are going. but David doesn't want to go. Mom and Dad are going to drop us off at the Church on the way to Grandpa's house. Called Grandpa's house from the Church to find out about Cindy spending the night. Grandpa answered and told me that Grandma had died at around 7:30 pm. Lori and I went out back of the Church and cried for awhile. Then we went back into the building. We washed our faces in the bathroom. Everyone was really nice. (Cindy had told them), Dad came and got us. The funeral will be Friday.
Sept. 4, 1970 - Friday.
Freshman Orientation this morning and Grandma's funeral this afternoon. What a contrast.
May 22, 1971 - Saturday
Am spending the weekend with Charla
May 23, 1971 - Sunday
Mom called and said that I have to come home. Keith had been bitten by a rattle snake and was in the Napa hospital and she needed for me to take care of the kids.
May 24, 1971 - Monday
Keith came home from the hospital early this afternoon. He can hardly walk and has needle tracks all over him. His hand looks like a rubber glove filled with water!!!
June 4, 1970 - Friday
Went to San Jose after school. Uncle Ed flew in from Idaho. Broke my nose fighting with Lori and David. Man did it ever hurt. They hit me so hard that it knocked me out. My nose didn't bleed - that's a surprise.
June 5, 1970 - Saturday
My nose is swollen and my eyes are black. I can't breathe out of my nose - it hurts like anything.
June 6, 1970 - Sunday
Uncle Bob, Donny and Manon came over and we went swimming. Aunt Harriet came over and told us that Donald is worse. He hasn't come out of his coma yet. His poor wife. I sure hope he is all right.
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An Email to Spike – January 2000
During my sophomore year of High School, I worked various jobs to earn enough money to take a trip to Mexico with a group from Indio, California. Their Spanish teacher had gone to college with my Spanish teacher, Mr. Guidi, and he invited Mr. Guidi's students to go on the trip. Dad & Mom bought my round trip tickets to southern California. But, I earned the money for the trip and my spending money.
My parents moved us to Reedsport in 1972 when I was a junior in High School. Everyone said that we'd hate Oregon because it rained all the time. But, the winter after we moved here it rained mostly at night and was nice during the day. It was probably a perfect winter for Oregon. Until December when it turned cold and snowed. I had to walk to school in the snow - barefoot and uphill both ways (oops that's Mom's story!!).
I've mentioned this winter to other people who were living here at the time and they can remember one perfect winter - but not the exact year it happened - I know the year because it was the first year we were here.
I know what you mean by priorities. Don's priority was always to be independent and work for himself. He and his ex planned to move to Alaska and fish and whatever up there. But, after a trip through Alaska one summer they decided that the mosquitoes could have the place.
So, he commercial fished here in Oregon during the summer and got work doing other things in the winter. And I fished with him during the summer - mostly I "held down the hatch" in a horizontal position to keep from throwing up. I really get seasick!!! But, the good days were fun. We had dolphins playing in our bow wake, killer whales swim around our boat, even a Japanese sunfish floated by one really warm summer - they are the weirdest fish. They're round and flat and float on top of the water (like a pancake on a plate) - one fin down in the water and the other sticking up in the air.
I went to college two years with the intention of becoming a psychologist - but hated the psychology courses!!! Then Don & I married (I worked at a restaurant graveyard shift to pay for college - he came in at 4 or 5 in the morning for breakfast before going out fishing).
While going to college I worked as a waitress at The Oasis and as a personal assistant to the head of the drama department - that was a fun job. I got to be involved in all the plays produced without having to be on stage myself!!! And I helped the head of the music department catalog all of the sheet music and get the department files organized (my "real" boss was performing in a play in Eugene that summer - so he loaned me to the music department).
Then, I worked with Don on the fishing boat, worked at the Nursery just up the road from us (they grow evergreen trees for reforestation) - that was a backbreaking job. I cleaned house for a friend after her surgery - until she could do it herself again. Her husband is a Doctor and I put in some time working in his office while she was healing (she was his office manager). (While I was in high school I did the books for my Dad's business until he sold it and moved to us to Oregon - the stress was killing him and his body told him so with a heart attack).
I've made and sold handcrafted items in several stores in Florence, Reedsport, Eugene, and Winchester Bay. I helped nurse Don's dad when he died of liver cancer (he also had emphysema) and Don's step mother until her daughter could sell the estate and move her mother to Colorado. Don's step mother had terrible arthritis and was in a wheelchair - she was also manic-depressive. But, was taking lithium and that helped. Then Don's mother was diagnosed with terminal lung cancer - so we moved her from Portland to our house to take care of her.
I guess it's just because I was the oldest of 6 kids and both parents worked - I've always been a caretaker. It's just the way things are supposed to be with me - I guess.
I've also worked other gift shops for friends who needed time off. They pay me a flat $25 per day to run their stores, restock any merchandise that comes in, do the banking, whatever comes up.
I've had so many varied jobs that there's never been an opportunity to get bored with my life.
I'm not good with numbers - that's what adding machines are for. I just know where to put the numbers on spreadsheets and how to make up spreadsheets for keeping track of different things. The past two years - and learning how to use computers has been really super. I really enjoy that part of what I'm doing.
Right now my goal is to get rid of all my craft supplies (all those unfinished projects - all those supplies bought for some unforgotten project) and all of my craft inventory by Dec. 31. Get out of the Mall; my friend Joanne also wants out - so, if the other two want to keep it going they can buy our shares in the corporation (for $25!!!!) and do whatever they want with the business.
I'd like to do something with computers. I need a real job now instead of the flittering around that I've been doing.
We have a very simple life. We have an orchard and a garden. We also have a pasture that we rent out for enough money to pay the property taxes. We don't need much but I'm getting older and starting to think about needing health insurance. We've both been very lucky to be so healthy so far.
I'm sorry to hear that you have terminal emphysema but am glad that you have Larry to support you.
And we all do it to ourselves: Don chews tobacco and I'm 100 pounds overweight. Very few people live perfectly clean lives. Well, Ghandi and Mother Teresa - but who wants to be a saint!!!!
You're welcome for the recipes. I'll send more as I get them downloaded or typed.
Jamie
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More Emails to Spike
2/13/00
Hi Spike,
We have a tremendous wind blowing overhead (we live in a canyon - so it blows over the tops of the hills) so the power may go out.
We have wood heat and propane lanterns - but the computer needs electricity!!!
Today I baked bread, cleaned house, typed recipes and listened to a book on tape (I'm listening to a series about a girl who comes to California during the gold rush. Her mother dies on the trip overland - but the kids find their father in the gold fields around Miracle Springs. She becomes a reporter for the California Alta and works on J. C. Fremont's bid for election as president - he was the first Republican nominee - but lost to Buchanan. Lincoln was the first Republican elected during the following election - since you live in Fremont . . .)
Here's my recipe for six loaves of whole wheat bread I spent the first three years we were married getting it right. I've baked it so many times that it just comes naturally to me now (Don won't eat store bread).
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Whole Wheat Potato Bread
Sponge:
6 cups warm water (110o to 115o)
6 tablespoons brown sugar
3 cups (unseasoned) mashed potatoes
6 tablespoons yeast*
3 cups white flour
3 cups whole wheat flour
Mix together the first three ingredients and let set until the yeast if frothy (about 15 minutes). Add the white and wheat flour and mix well. Put in a warm place to rise for about 1 hour.
1 cup oil
2 tablespoons salt
3 cups sunflower seeds
6 cups whole wheat flour
Add the first three ingredients to the sponge and mix well. Mix in the flour. Put in a warm place and allow to rise until double in bulk - about 1 hour.
8 cups (plus or minus) of whole wheat flour for kneading.
Spread the flour on the counter. Scrape the bread dough out of the bowl on top of the flour. Knead until the dough is smooth and elastic and no longer sticky. Set dough back in the bowl and put in a warm place to rise until double in bulk. About 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 400o.**
Divide dough into six even pieces. Roll form each piece into a loaf shape and place in a greased 9" x 3" loaf pan. Allow to rise until the loaf is 1-1/2 - 2 inches above the bread pan.
Bake for 10 minutes at 400o. Reduce heat to 325o and bake for 45-50 minutes longer or until a loaf sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom.
*I buy my yeast in 1 pound bulk packages at Costco.
**my oven runs hot - so I cook everything 25 degrees lower than the temperature called for. You may need to use 425o and 350o in your oven.
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Actually a friend shops at Costco in Eugene for her restaurant and always asks me for my shopping list (yeast is about it for us).
I'm not a shopper either. Food and fabric for clothing is the big thing for me. We have lots of records - but they were all bought before we were married. And hundreds of books that we get at the used book store. People are always giving us books - the hardbacks we read (or not) and then donate to the library (for their used book sale) and paperbacks we keep or trade at the used book store.
I've run garage sales for the entire neighborhood and any books unsold are usually given to me after it's all over. And I've taught craft classes for 4H and the parents usually give me books when they find out that we don't have TV because we are readers (what a strange species they think us to be).
Almost every wall in our house has at least one book shelf - and some walls are completely covered with books!!!!!
Then I discovered Books on Tape at the Library and Love them - I can listen to a book and do my work at the same time. They're Grate!!!!
I've saved up enough money to buy any computer system that I want to get (except Macintosh) but it's such a huge expense that I'm stalling to make sure that I get the right computer. I don't want to spend more than I have to but, also want to get a really good one. And I'm so uneducated about the things.
So, I ask people about their systems.
With three hard drives and 47 gigs - isn't a Pentium II slow? Or did Larry set it up in a way that it wouldn't be slow?
When I first started asking I was told that I should be careful about how many gigs I got - because I'd need a fast enough processor to run the hard drive. So, is there a secret that Larry knows - since he built you computer?
A low center of gravity on a motorcycle means you sit down low and are less likely to tip over. Hondas and other like motorcycles have the seats high and tend to be "tippy". But, Don said that he's noticed a motorcycle and he thought it might be a Kawasaki (SP?) that is built more like a Harley - the rider sits low on the bike.
Jamie
CD's are beyond me. I do know what they are because Joanne has several for her computer - the encyclopedia is on one and games are on another!!!!
I do have a tape player that I use to listen to Books on Tape. And I'd love to hear your music. Thank you.
A Japanese sunfish is kinda yellow or dun colored with a white belly. They are round and flat like a pancake with a big cow eye on each side and a big fin on each side. The one we saw was about the size of a car tire but they can get really big and weigh thousands of pounds.
When they swim they are upright (like a tire on your car) but they prefer to float on top of the water soaking up the sun (I guess that's why the name).
So, when you float by one, all you see is this pancake floating on the surface of the water with one cow eye looking up at you and one fin sticking up in the air. As long as you don't make any sudden movement, they just float by. If you scare them, they turn back the right way and zip off.
About a year before the movie "Jaws" came out, Don had a huge shark following his boat for most of the day. Our boat was The Bounty (so, of course, I called him Captain Bligh)and it was 32 feet long and about 10 feet wide and had a 6 foot draft (the part underwater). Don would pull in his lines and then clean any salmon that he'd caught. And he'd turn around and this huge shark would be right behind him eating the guts he'd just thrown overboard. He said that the head was at least two and a half feet across and it was about 20 feet long (almost as big as the boat). Don would bang on the side of the boat with his gaff and it would drop down and back behind the boat. Then he'd catch another fish or two and it would come back to eat the goodies that Don was throwing in the water. The shark was a light grey color.
We don't usually get great whites in our area because it's too cold. But, there was a warm current for about three years. And this one followed Don for a long time until he decided to call it quits and go back in to harbor because it was scaring the salmon away.
The next year "Jaws" came out and Don found out what kind of shark he'd been feeding! One of the drag boats came in with a 12 foot great white that had been caught in their net. They used a boat hoist to lift it up so everyone could get pictures of themselves standing next to it.
Then Don & I started dating and he told me about his shark. So, one day (I was feeling Grate) I was sitting on the side of the boat with my legs in the water and a stay line between my legs to keep me from falling overboard. There was a basking shark heading toward us and Don yells, "Look out, Jaws is going to get you!" I fell over backward into the boat in my hurry to get away from the water. Don thought it was too funny.
Then he told me what they actually were - just whales. It swam by our boat and then went on it's way. They have these huge dorsal fins like sharks but are harmless. And they are a darker grey than a great white.
Years ago Don was out fishing deep water and had shut down for the night. He crawled into his sleeping bag and went to sleep. Then he work up because he could hear a weird noise. A deep sighing sound. He went out to check the boat and a whale was next to Bounty just laying there and sighing. He didn't know if it was tired or in love. But, he went back to bed and it went away sometime during the night.
But, the most fun are the dolphins. They love to swim in the bow wave of a boat. They play and jump and splash and cross back and forth in front of the boat.
We didn't get to see any of these things very often because our water is too cold. But, sometimes the current would be just right and bring in warm water from California and we'd see all kinds of interesting creatures.
Killer whales are kinda scary because they are so big and swim in pods so there's usually a lot of them. And they eat people. We read a book "Survive the Savage Sea" about a sail boat. It had a white bottom and a pod of killer whales thought it was a whale and did what they do - they dive deep under a whale then rush up and hit the underbelly of the whale as hard as they can to kill it and tear open it's guts.
Well, in this case the first Orca hit the keel of the boat and it killed him. And his pod ate him. It also tore open the haul of the boat. So, the family had to jump in their life raft with whatever they could grab and hope the Orcas wouldn't eat them too. The rest of the story is how they survived until they were rescued.
After reading that - I was a little nervous whenever killer whales were around.
One day we saw a Japanese glass float on the water. So, Don drove the boat until we were close to it and scooped it up with a net. He made a net hanger for it and it's hanging in our kitchen. There used to be glass floats all over the ocean. But, they're harder to find now. The Japanese use plastic for their floats now.
Talk at ya later, Jamie
Two grate minds on the same track. I was about to ask you if you were ready to trade the lemon chicken subject line for something else!!!!
Today is my day off - so instead of doing - whatever - I'm having a ball writing to you.
You could probably use the Potato buds - but you'd have to make them into mashed potatoes first. I have some that I got in bulk (because someone told me they were great for thickening soups and stews - just dump in a spoonful, stir, wait a minute - if it's not thick enough do it again.) but I don't have a recipe for making them into mashed potatoes - maybe you still have the box with the recipe on it? If the recipe calls for butter - you might want to leave it out - or not - I don't know if it would effect the bread - probably not.
What I do is boil my potatoes, * then pour 2 cups of the cooking water into my blender, add potatoes to the 3-1/2 cup mark (so there's 2 cups of water and 1-1/2 cups of potatoes in the blender). Then I blend, pour everything into my big bread bowl. Then I use 2 cups of cooking water to wash out the blender.* Then repeat between the *'s (a crocheting term). It's fast and easy this way. There's never enough cooking water - so I use water out of the tea pot to finish.
Re: your computer.
Maybe it's not slow because of the way he has it set up. Two of my brothers are computer whiz kids (one sets up computer systems for businesses and the other works for Hewlett Packard). Anyway, one of them sent me a set of instructions for getting more room or speed or something. But, I'll have to think about it for awhile before I understand what he said.
Re: 4-H
I taught for 10 years. Sewing, crochet, cross stitch, needlepoint (plastic canvas), macramé - whatever the kids wanted to learn.
One day a week and the most I ever had was 24. You must have had tremendous energy!!!!
I got started because of the people who rented our pasture at that time - for their daughter's horse. Their daughter would ride the school bus to our house and take care of her horse, when she got bored she would work on a craft project with me - since I always had something going. Her Mom was the coordinator for 4H for our area (they were involved in Horse 4H, of course) and she asked me to teach a class since the person who had been the craft leader was retiring.
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